Before the 1900s to The Suffragettes
1926, France- Michel Foucault (15 October 1926 – 25 June 1984), a French philosopher, historian of ideas, and literary critic, is born in Poitiers, France. He died in Paris of AIDS, the first public figure in France to have died from the disease. His partner, Daniel Defert (born 10 September 1937), founded the AIDES charity in his memory.
The Friends of Dorothy Era and The Hayes Code
1950s The Decade the public learned heterosexual women wanted sex
1952 – In Los Angeles, W. Dorr Legg (December 15, 1904—July 26, 1994) and six friends including Dale Jennings, all members of the Mattachine Society, discuss publishing a journal to promote education and research activities beneficial to gay men and lesbians. The magazine “ONE, Inc.” is founded.
The Civil Rights 60s: When the Boomers were under 30
1964 – Composer and songwriting legend Cole Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) passes away of kidney failure at age 75. Porter, who was gay, had a committed, lifelong relationship with his wife Linda, who knew he was gay from the start and not only tolerated but often encouraged his lifestyle as long as he was not too flamboyant.
1966
USA LP Charts, at 7 Soundtrack to “The Sound of Music” was finally on its way down after 83 weeks
Feminist, Gay Liberation and Lesbian Separatists: Civil Rights
1970 – Edna Knowles and Peaches Stevens are married in Liz’s Mark III Lounge in Chicago’s South Side. Though headlines read “Two Women ‘Married’ in Chicago,” there is no record of the couple’s marriage license. Jet Magazine featured a lesbian couple, Edna Knowles and Peaches Stevens, in their publication under the headline “Two Women ‘Married’ In Chicago — To Each Other.” However, Jet noted that the Illinois marriage license bureau had no record of the union and the image caption refers to Stevens as the “bridegroom.” (h/t Quist)
1973
The Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry Federal Council declares homosexuality not an illness, the first such body in the world to do so. In December the American Psychiatric Association removes homosexuality from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-II), based largely on the research and advocacy of Evelyn Hooker.
The formation of the National Gay Task Force was announced in New York City. Dr. Howard Brown announces the founding of the National Gay (“and lesbian” was added later) Task Force, considered the first gay or lesbian rights organization with a truly national scope. Dr. Bruce Voeller (May 12, 1934 – February 13, 1994) is named the first executive director
The US Supreme Court decides by a 7-2 vote to refuse to review a 1971 Federal Communications directive that broadcasters, in effect, censor songs with drug-oriented lyrics. The two dissenting votes are cast by Justices William J. Brennan and William O. Douglas, who say, “The government cannot, consistent with the First Amendment, require a broadcaster to censor its music.”
Elton John released the single “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”.
1974 – The New York Gay Activists Alliance “Firehouse” is destroyed by arson;
1977 – The Santa Barbara, California, board of education votes to ban discrimination against GLB students, making it the first U.S. school board to do so.
1977 – Federal district court Judge Kimba Wood ruled that shareholders of Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores Inc. should be allowed to vote on retaining a company policy that would forbid employment of gays and lesbians.
1977 – A gay rights ordinance passes in Alexandria, Virginia.
The Genderfuck Apathetics vs Yuppies : Aids the new STD on the list
1982 – The first time a White House Press Secretary is questioned about HIV/AIDS. When asked about the President’s reaction to the announcement that AIDS is now an epidemic, Larry Speakes asks, “What’s AIDS?” When told it was known as the gay plague, Speakes laughed.
Q: Larry, does the President have any reaction to the announcement — the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, that AIDS is now an epidemic and have over 600 cases?
Speakes: What’s AIDS?
Q: Over a third of them have died. It’s known as “gay plaque.” [laughter] No, it is. I mean it’s a pretty serious thing that one in every three people that get this has died. And I wondered if the President is aware of it?
Speakes: I don’t have it. Do you? [laughter]
1983
A Washington, DC, Superior Court judge dismisses a lawsuit brought by gay students against Georgetown University three years earlier, ruling that the students cannot force the university to grant their organization recognition because the federal government does not have an official national policy on homosexual rights.
USA Song charts, Spandau Ballet had the #4 song–“True”
1983: Eddie Murphy’s HBO special “Delirious” hit the airwaves. It ruffled quite a few queer feathers because of several AIDS-related jokes and an extensive, off-color dissertation about “faggots.”
1988:
Alexandria, Virginia bans discrimination in employment, housing and other practices based on sexual orientation.
On the USA LP Charts at 6 Tracy Chapman with her debut
90s: Listserves and Email distribution replaces telephone trees for activism
1990
Whitney Houston released the single “I’m Your Baby Tonight”.
1994
On the USA LP Charts at 6 “The Lion King” Soundtrack,
1999: The Washington Times reports claims George W. Bush ensured conservative supporters that he would not “knowingly” appoint any homosexuals as ambassadors or department heads in his administration if elected president.
Post 9/11 – From “gay and lesbian” to “lesbigay” to “Lgbt/Lgbtq/Lgbtq2”
2013
LGBT History Month: 4 Queer Events On October 15 – HuffPosMadonna was banned from a US cinema chain after being accused of texting during a film. Attending the New York Film Festival screening of 12 Years a Slave, the 55-year-old was reportedly asked to stop texting by an audience member. Tim League, CEO of the Alamo Drafthouse chain, tweeted: “Until she apologizes to movie fans, Madonna is banned from watching movies at Alamo.”
cited sources
Today in LGBT History by Ronni Sanlo
Nineties Dyke 